Cesta or hand-ball basket-bat.



No. 642,638. Patented Feb. 6,1900.

A. B. SMITH. CESTA 0R HAND BALL BASKET BAT.

(Application tiled July 25, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet l.

. Patented Feb. 6, |900. A. `B. SMITH. CESTA 0R HAND BALL BASKET BAT.

(Application led July 25, 1898.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 21- (No Model.)

NrTnD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALPHONSO B. SMITH, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. .Y

CESTA OR HAND-BALL BASKET-BAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 642,638, datedFebruary 6, 1900.

Application filed `Tuly 25, 1899. Serial No. '725 ,065. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t muy concer/e:

Be it known that I, ALPHoNso B. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofOalifornia, have invented a new and useful Cesta or Hand-BallBasket-Bat, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the hand basket-bat for use inplaying fronton.

In playing the game fronton the ball is caught it therein, therebygiving the player greater control over the ball and also affording amore ready means for projecting the ball.

A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby the playerwill have perfeet control over the motion of the cesta when catching orthrowing the ball.

A further object of my invention is to provide means for firmlyfastening the hand of the player within the glove or pouch of the cestaand to allow of the free movement of the wrist therein.

The accompanying drawings illustrate. my invention.

Figure l is a perspective view of my improved cesta, portions of thesame being broken away to expose the partitions in the hand-retainingglove. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the cesta, indicating the manner oflacing around the wrist to retain the hand within the glove. Fig. 3 isan enlarged cross-section of the cesta and hand-retaining glove on line3 3, Figs. 1 and 2. In this view the cesta is shown turned upside down.Fig. i is a longitudinal mid-section of the cesta. Fig. 5 is across-section through thebulge on line 5 5,

Figs. 1, 2, and 4. Fig. 6 is a cross-section on line 6 6, Figs. 4 and 5.

A is the cesta.-

A is the hand-retaining glove.

B is the lacing for fastening the cesta to the hand.

O is a cross-bar which connects the two side members O C. The lacing Bis woven back and forth over the ends of the cross-bar C.

D is a loop fastened to one of the slats of the cesta and coming upthrough one of the partitions of the glove.

E E are the slats of the cesta.

F F are the partitions in the glove.

d o.' are leather flaps or shields to protect the wrist of the playerfrom abrasion of the skin by the lacing-straps.

b is the ball-receiving bulge of the cesta.

o is the lat point or nose.

c indicates stitching with which the end of the glove or sack isattached to the slats.

d is the free end of the lacing-strap.

c e is' the wicker-work strips woven between the slats to form thebasket and to hold the slats in place. y

The sides of the glove are fastened to the side bars O and C" and to thecross-bar C by stitching or by any other suitable means, and the endthereof is held to the wicker-work by stitching or other suitable means.

The glove is formed of a flexible sheet l, fastened at three edges tothe back of the bat-body by the stitching c at the heel of the bat-.bodyand slitted longitudinally diate its ends.

2, 3, 4, and 5 indicate the slits.

The partitions are preferably formed of ilexiblemembers, one for eachslit, each of said members being fastened to the bat-body and to thesheet at the edges of the slit to which said member pertains. Themembers are preferably formed of one piece and folded longitudinally andfastened to the bat-body at the fold by any suitable means, such as thestitching c. The partition members are preferably fastened to thebat-body at spaces apart which are narrower than the spaces between theslits, .so that the walls of the partition set between the fingers andthe batbody. This gives a irm support to each of the lingers at thebat-body, but allows a certain freedom of movement to the fingers, whichin practice will be yheld tight in the intermef IOO glove by bending thefingers as much as possible, the depth of the partitions beingsufficient to allow a slight bending of the fingers for this purpose.

In practice the player inserts his handl in the glove A and thepartitions F F separate the fingers, thereby serving as a support andgiving the player perfect control over the cesta. After the hand hasbeen inserted into the glove the lacing-strap B, which is provided witha loop at one end, is thrown over the end c" of the cross-bar C, and theother end is passed through the loop D and around the other end of thecross-bar and thence completely around the wrist of the player, on theoutside of the shields a a', and back to the i end c" of the bar, thence`around the Wrist and back to the end 0"', thence around the wrist, andback to a convenient crossing-point, where the end is tucked under thelacing, as shown at d. This mode of attachment allows free movement ofthe wrist of the player,while the fingers are supported by thepartitions of the glove.

The heel of the bat is broad and fiat, and the bat tapers from the heelto the point, thus affording a sufficient breadth at the heel forattachment of the glove and support for the hand and providing a perfectguideway for directing` the ball when it is thrown. The overhanging sidebars O C give greater strength and rigidity to the bat and assist inproperly retaining and throwing the ball. The overhanging portiondisappears at the toe or point of the bat.

The belly b of the cesta is of considerably greater depth than theremaining portion and serves to retain the ball when caught by theplayer. The side bars C and C" of the cesta are curved and parallel witheach other and are formed of a single strip or bar, preferably ofbamboo, which is curved into the desired shape, and the slats are ofVarying lengths, increasing from the sides of the bat toward themid-width thereof, and are fastened to the cross-bar C at one end and tomembers C C at the nose or point b at the other end, the shorter slatsbeing near to the side bars C and C and the longer slats being arrangedin the middle. Ticker-work strips are then woven over the side bars andthrough and between the slats to firmly hold them together. The longerslats being in the mid-Widthand curved more in proportion to theirlength than the shorter slats form the belly or bulge to receive theball. The side bars overhang the edges of the bulge. The glove portionis preferably made of leather, with a lining G of cloth over thewicker-work.

Now, having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, isp 1. A cesta or hand-ball bat having acurved portion which is provided with a bulged receptacle.

2. In a cesta or hand-ball bat, the handretaining partitioned receptaclefastened thereto.

3. In a cesta, the combination of the handreceiving glove fastenedthereto; the wristprotecting shields; and the lacing wound around thewrist and fastened to the cesta.

4. In a cesta, the combination of the glove having wrist-shieldportions; the loop fastened to the slats and passing upward between thepartitions of the glove; the lacing fastened to the end of the cross-barof the cesta, thence through the loop, around the other end of thecrossbar and around the wrist of the player.

5. A cesta or hand-ball bat flat at the ends and curved intermediate theends and provided with a ballreceiving bulge in the curved portion. f

G. A cesta or hand-ball bat straight in crosssection at the nose, curvedin the intermediate portion and provided at the curve with a bulgedecreasing in depth toward the nose and heel ofthe bat.

7. A cesta or hand-ball bat straight in crosssection at the nose, curvedin the intermediate portion and providedv at the curve with a bulgedecreasing in depth at the nose and heel of the bat; andinwardly-projecting side bars overhanging the cavity at the bulge.

8. A cesta or hand-ball bat provided with a bulge intermediate its endsand having side bars overhanging at the intermediate portion.

9. A cesta or hand-ball bat composed of a cross-bar at the heel; a bentmember to form the edge bars of the cesta with ends fastened to thecross-bar; slats fastened at one end to the cross-bar and fastened atthe other end to the bend of the bent member, the slats being taperedfrom the front end toward the middle and the slats increasing in lengthfrom the sides toward the mid-width of the bat and being bowed at theirmiddles to form a bulge in the bat.

10. The combination with a cesta or handball-bat body, of a flexiblesheet fastened at three edges to the back of said body at the heelthereof and slitted longitudinally intermediate its ends; a plurality offlexible members, one for each slit, each of said members being fastenedto the bat-body and fastened to the sheet at the edges of the slit towhich said member pertains.

1l. The combination with a cesta or handball-bat body, of a flexiblesheet fastened at three edges to the back of said body 0at the heelthereof and slitted longitudinally intermediate its ends; a plurality offlexible members, one for each slit, each of said members being foldedlongitudinally and fastened to the bat-body at the fold at spaces apartwhich are narrower than the spaces between the slits, and fastened atits edges to the sheet at the edges of the slit to which said memberpertains, the spaces between the lines at which the folds are fastenedto the bat-body bleing narrower than the spaces between the s its.

12. The combination of a cesta or hand- IOO ball-bat body, provided withlongitudinallyarranged slats; a flexible sheet fastened at three edgesto the back of said body at the heel thereof and slitted longitudinallyintermediate its ends with spaoes'between the slits greater than thewidth of The slats; a plurality of eXible members, one for each slit,each of said members being folded longitudinally and fastened at itsedges to the sheet at the edges of the slit to which said memberpertains; and stitches through the folds of said members respectively tofasten the folds to the ball-bat body.

13. A cesta or hand-ball bat provided on its baok at the heel of thecesta with a glove

